Great British Railway Journeys

Michael Portillo continues his journeys to find out what remains of George Bradshaw’s – the man transformed travel in 1840 – Britain.

Michael meets Tom Dixon, the last liquorice grower in Pontefract, as part of the fourth leg of his journey from Liverpool to Scarborough. Pontefract was covered in liquorice fields in Bradshaw’s time and it was here that the Pontefract, or Pomfret cake, was invented. Michael finds out what’s happened to the liquorice industry since Bradshaw’s time and visits a new sweet factory.

His next stop is Hull, once the destination for “monster excursions” involving massive trains carrying thousands of early tourists to the coast. In Hull, Michael investigates why Bradshaw compared the city to Venice, before meeting maritime historian Robb Robinson to find out how the railways transformed Hull into one of the world’s largest white-fish ports.

On the train to Bridlington, Michael shares his journey with climate expert John Pinnegar, who explains what’s really happening to North Sea cod stocks and how global warming is changing the kinds of fish found around Britain’s coast.

In Bradshaw’s time, Bridlington was transformed by the railways from a sleepy fishing village into a bustling seaside resort. Today, it’s changing again. Travelling with Frank Powell, Michael learns the sustainable way to fish for sea bass from a new wave of fishermen.